Rotaract Club of Chattanooga, a Rotary-sponsored service club for young professionals ages 22-35, is hosting a fundraiser benefiting Lookout Mountain Conservancy’s Howard Intern Leadership Program. The event Lookout for Leaders seeks to raise money for additional funding for LMC’s Howard Intern and Leadership Program.
The fundraiser will be held Thursday, Sept. 22, from 5:30-8 p.m. at Waterhouse Pavilion, 850 Market St.
The evening will celebrate the interns with music, cocktails, appetizers and a silent auction.
Tickets are $40 per person and $75 per couple and can be purchased at the door, via Facebook at Lookout for Leaders 2016 or at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lookout-for-leaders-tickets-26228657621.
Rotaract’s President Stephen Ratterman of First Tennessee Bank said, “We are very excited for our second Lookout for Leaders fundraiser to benefit the Lookout Mountain Conservancy. Our partnership with the Conservancy and the interns has continued to strengthen, and we are inspired by the meaningful work they do every day to improve the lives of their families and local community. The proceeds raised through this event go directly to support the endless efforts made by Robyn Carlton and her team at the Lookout Mountain Conservancy to provide every opportunity and resource earned by these students to continue to grow both academically and socially. We encourage everyone that can make it to please join us at Miller Plaza on Sept. 22 to meet the interns and learn more about this amazing program.
"On behalf of the entire Rotaract Club of Chattanooga, I would also like to give a special thank you to our corporate sponsors and recognize those who have contributed at the Presenting and Graduate levels: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga College of Business, BlueCross BlueShield Community Foundation, Jones Raulston Title, and Grace Healthcare.”
The Lookout Mountain Conservancy employs students from Howard High School to preserve and protect Chattanooga’s natural resources. The students learn about nature, conservation, teamwork and trust by establishing relationships with LMC’s leaders and other students in the program. The program provides an opportunity for inner city students to have a safe work environment, provide supportive income for their families, and learn social and professional skills needed to succeed in life, said officials.
Since the creation of the internship program in 2013, Howard High School reports that participating students have become leaders in their class and set examples for other students. Their grades and attendance are improving with plans for attending secondary education upon graduating, a first in the family for many.
Additionally, LMC is receiving national attention from land trusts for establishing a unique program that connects inner city youth with a community’s natural resources - a program that many land trusts hope to replicate.
Rotaract has formed a strategic partnership with LMC’s Howard Intern Leadership Program as mentors for these students. Connecting with the interns through land conservation creates an opportunity for building relationships and ultimately establishing mutual trust, respect and cooperation. Rotaract’s intention is to show the interns that life outside of their neighborhood not only exists but is within their grasp so students can reach their fullest potential, said official.